Oxygène

In The Meaning of Liff, a book by Douglas Adams and John Lloyd, the authors take placenames from around the world and redefine them as words for things and events that don't have a word, but should. For instance, Shoeburyness, formerly an English village, gained the meaning "the vague uncomfortable feeling you get when sitting on a seat that is still warm from somebody else's bottom." Chicago now also refers to "the foul-smelling wind which precedes an underground railway train." The relevant one for today is Zeerust, a South African town and "the particular kind of datedness which afflicts things that were originally designed to look futuristic." Take the original Star Trek, where communicators only performed one task (unlike your phone), and a female uniform ended an inch below the knicker. Jean -Michel Jarre's Oxygène embodies the zeerust of 70s synth pioneer records, but this is not to its detriment. The public perception of Jean-Michel Jarre has always struck me as dissonant, but that could be the Anglo-American perception. Everyone aged 35 or over knows exactly who he is, but they would only be able to name one song (Oxygène Part 4, obviously). Owning this album would make you seem buffy, and any other album smacks of obsession. Yet he holds the world record for the most attended concert, a 1997 Moscow concert celebrating the 350th anniversary of the city, where over 3,500,000 attended: that's more than the populations of Estonia and Latvia combined. Three other concerts of his have previously held that record. So does Europe adore Jean-Michel Jarre? Dunno: I asked a Francophone friend, and he told me that whilst he has some kudos in France as a trailblazer, nobody would be able to tell you a track of his from the 80s or 90s. Anyway, back to the zeerust of Oxygène. The European synth pioneers who have attracted by far the most acclaim are the Germans: Kraftwerk, Neu!, Tangerine Dream, those chaps. The French, whilst not seen as inadequate in the field, have never attained anything like the veneration their synthy krautrock rivals command. But these synth pioneers, regardless of origin, all now sound affectionately quaint. By pursuing the future in their present, they would become anchored to their present, our past. Partly this is just the gamble you take on when you prognosticate so; much of New Romanticism's futurism hasn't bourne out in its favour. Partly this is a side-effect of influence: when others build on your innovations, they will inevitably progress beyond you. But whereas one might presume Oxygène has dated, I don't find that the case. Yes, it's evocative of a specific 70s era I never experienced, but that just adds to the charm. A 6-track, wholly electronic instrumental album by a French avant-garde composer becoming a worldwide smash? That sadly just doesn't happen anymore. Thanks, Adele! But is Oxygène actually good stripped of context? It wholly depends on how beautiful you find it. Eventually, I found it very beautiful indeed. Yes, it may take some time to appreciate this album fully, but by my third listen it had become a treat. I'm happy giving it 5 stars, but that just reflects my impression. If you consider it a bore and a chore, I won't argue to the contrary. See, we can all just get along!

Can go toe to toe with anything Ambient that Brian Eno ever did. incredibly powerful mood.

Let's all put on clothing made of foil and zoom around on our hoverboards

When I saw that all songs were called Oxygène, I knew it would be shit...

Doctor Who backing music made by some dude in his kitchen. No thanks.

Fancy hold music

I kept waiting for this album to begin and then it was over. C

1. Don’t be a dummy like me, listen to this record at night. This is night music. 2. The French are better at electronic music than just about anyone else on the planet (with the possible exception of the Germans in the 1970’s). 3. Why the fuck don’t I own this on vinyl? Discogs, here i come.

Jarre is one of the godfathers of electronic music, and this early album is one of his best. Its best known part is certainly Oxygène 4, but one really should listen to this album as a whole, not for individual tracks. Jarre is weaving a tapestry of ever-repeating patterns and introduces gradual over time, so it never gets boring. A classic masterpiece of electronic music. 5/5

Definately like if i was being abducted by an alien play this please

Inject this shit directly into my veins

One of the OGs of the style. Still incredible even all these years later.

Not as good as The Specials

This was a real gem, never heard of this cat before and had no idea how big he was. Some really interesting beats and sounds.

Yet another seminal electronic album, this time from the 70s. Six parts, all sublime. Utterly good stuff. Favorite is Oxygene, Pt. 5.

New space music for coding, blessed

Absolutely wonderful, a rich futuristic cityscape of an album. Definitely going to revisit.

Far out!! Would enjoy on shrooms!!! 🍄🍄‍🟫

I got Gary Numan through this project recently, and was bemoaning the lack of Vangelis on the list, so awarded him the title of "main source of synthesizer soundtracks of the future, from the past". That was shameful Jean-Michel Jarre erasure, and for that, I apologize. Oxygene is great! Exactly my jam. On the one hand, it's the scifi soundtrack to the future TV and movies have been promising me my whole life. On the other hand, it's a nostalgia machine that whisks me back to my childhood. Fave track - well, "Part IV" is the famous, nay, iconic section, but I really enjoyed the frenetic mania of "Part II" this time around. The second half of "Part V" is pretty badass, too....

Ambiance heaven

Superb. The most beatiful electronica soundscapes put together as a classic symphony, with its different themes being repeated in variations and mixed up maintaing an exciting atmosphere throughout the whole album

Really liked this surprisingly. I'm guessing pretty revolutionary for its' time? Listened with headphones so that made it a beautiful sci-fi soundscape journey.

I can respect the inspiration this album had and how groundbreaking this album may have been for its time, but definitely not for me. Sounds like a killer video game soundtrack maybe? I LOVE the album art though, would make a cool tattoo.

Incredible work. Atmospheric, cinematic. Very unique ethnic sound blended with very eclectic synth melodies

It's impressive how little it takes sometimes for music to be fantastic. Just some looping synths and drum beats manages to make this a fun album to listen to. Great atmosphere.

Interesting and unique! I enjoyed the psychedelic, floaty nature of it. Fun instrumentals overall. It did hang out in each section a bit too long at times, but it didn't annoy me too much. 'Oxygéne, Pt. 5' was my favorite, it got kinda funky.

This is an album I've meant to listen to for literally 5 years, when it was first recommended to me. Once I saw it was on the list, I decided to wait. I would say it was worth the wait. I didn't really care for Pt. 1 but it picked up for me with Pt 2 and stayed great through to the end. Pt 4 was the highlight for me, which I understand led to Jean-Michel Jarre's breakthrough. Would rate 4.5 but going to round up because I think it deserves it.

Liked it! Bit trippy

Dramatic, cinematic.I remember watching his outdoor light spectacles on TV as a kid - Oxygene Part 4 brings back those memories. Rich textures, Spacemen 3 learnt from this. It’s very different to Kraftwerk, this is more like waves, more atmospheric. No words, this is music to make you wonder. Dreamy. I love it. Nice to hear an album without lyrics that still very much holds the attention.

I think this album might be directly responsible for the entire sound of 80s sci-fi and some mainstream sound that's seen even today. For 1976, this shit feels way ahead of its time and it's also super enjoyable to listen to. Parts 3 and 6 are the best ones

Incredibly cool, it felt like I was on a musical journey. Particularly loved parts 2, 3 and 4. The section of 5 where you could hear the music going back and forth from ear to ear was rather fun as well

I liked this album. Listened to some of his work for the rest of the day, and this was probably the best.

awesome album, beginning to end 10/10 based af honestly can’t decide what my favorite song is

Obra maestra.

A cracking album!!

A masterpiece!

a cosmic journey

Awsome ambient electro album

The top review says more or less everything I would say. Everyone my age knows his name and this record, to a greater or lesser degree. A synth and electronic pioneer, and something I wouldn't think of listening to nowadays, I think of it in similar terms as Tubular Bells, except this is better as a whole piece. Some of it brings to mind Vangelis also, and could complement the Blade Runner soundtrack. Definitely feel like it holds up. And should be listened to as a whole.

In middle school I watched a lot of British stand up comedy DVDs. One of them was a Bill Bailey special with a lot of musical bits. In one of them he sampled himself saying "Jean Michelle Jare is a fraud. I never knew who that was until this album came up. So thank you 1001 Album Club, for answering a question I've had for many years. I listened to this in the shower, and it was excellent shower music. I'm giving it 4 stars for shower excellence. In most other contexts it would probably be a 3, but that was a really peaceful and bubbly sounding shower. I still don't know why he's a fraud though. Album cover: (A-) Cheesy but very rad.

Ayo this is pretty fucking neat. Early electronic that feels like floating through space? yes please, it's solid as fuck.

The inspiration for countless infomercial and documentary soundtracks. Despite a bit too much theremin vibrato and vaguely muddy mixing, this album is simultaneously the sound of the past and the sound of the future.

Like listening to a lukewarm glass of water, but sure, it passes.

Kill jester.

Yeah this was cool from a sort of historical perspective. Clearly impactful, and yet I wouldn’t say this is something I’ll be eager to throw on in the future.

A different listen for me. This album used a lot of the ethereal sounds I associate with sci fi and space-themed movies. It was fun to have on in the background as I drove around on a rainy day but it's not my favorite type of music.

This is the day that Shane MacGowan died, so i have to admit i only made it through 3 of these Oxygene tracks before needing to bail out and listen to the Pogues for the rest of the day at full volume.

This almost put me to sleep like 8 times - and I was driving while I was listening to it. Maybe that's on me, but this album could have gotten me killed.

penepene

Hugely significant ambient synth music that will certainly not appeal to everyone. Like many albums of the era, and ones that pioneered specific sounds, you have to get on the level to really soak in just how incredible what you're hearing is.

This was phenomenal - I can’t believe this came out in 1976. This was interesting, futuristic,clean ambient sounds that aren’t dated at all. Might be the best electronic album I’ve heard (or maybe it just hit my tastes perfectly on the right day). 5/5 would relisten any time

5/5

This should not be slept on. I was skeptical when it first started. But I promised myself I wouldn't skip any of these albums, so I listened to the whole thing. This album has to be approached like an electronic symphony, not a rock and roll album. I had a beautiful journey through this album and it'll be a new favorite

Cool album cover. Great warmth and that dynamic sound. Part IV is a standout. Yeah, I like this. Auditory paintings. A Warm quilt of sounds.

Et av mine desiderte favorittalbum

WOW. I had never heard this, but I am so very pleasantly surprised by it. Would love to add this album to the collection.

Um capolavoro do mais alto escalão. Obra extraordinária. O tipo de disco que você ouve de olhos fechados, pra nada entrar no caminho entre você e a absoluta ternura que emana dessas notas sintetizadas. A primeira vez que ouvi esse LP inteiramente, eu te garanto, mudou a trajetória da minha vida no âmbito criativo. Os sintetizadores parecem criar vida nessa produção. Eles remetem às ondas do mar. Ao cantalorar de pássaros. É de tirar o fôlego. O lado 2 do disco abre como um prédio sendo implodido. Demolição controlada. Não há violência aqui, mas sim uma minuciosa e cuidadosa dissecação. Assim vem aos meus ouvidos. A forma com que Jarre explora o espaço no âmbito estéreo é surreal. Esse disco precisa estar na coleção de todo audiófilo do mundo. Coloca ele pra tocar e se sente no epicentro dos seus speakers. Fecha o olho e só vai. Não precisa de droga nenhuma, o som aqui é a substância mais poderosa imaginável. Vai massagear teu cérebro. A definição de um disco eletrônico 5 estrelas. Capolavoro, perfeito, do início ao fim.

So I guess I'm "lucky" to have the time each day to devote to listening to music. I'm driving around all day and already enjoy ambient and other background music. Also a fan, of course of theme park BGM especially like Epcot and tommorowland. So this is the kind of thing I'm all about. I'll have to now go see if this guy did any of the music for Epcot. Also has a cinematic score vibe too, some sounded very familiar in parts. Anyway I'm glad to have heard this as its the kind of find the list should provide. I listened to it twice back to back while driving the hour and 20 minutes from Joliet back up to Gurnee. Will have to listen to It at night

Woah. Absolutely loved this.

Kraftwerk meets Alan Parsons

pretty cool, especially for the time

Als we ooit contact zoeken met aliëns, dan komen we er waarschijnlijk achter dat Jean Michel Jarre dat in 1976 al had gedaan en er een album van heeft gemaakt. Wát een bizarre reis door geluid is dit zeg! Ook weer zo ontzettend bijzonder dat dit in 1976 is gemaakt. HEt gaat alle kanten op, met meer trancey plaatjes zoals Pt2, dan weer een buitenaards, duister nummer zoals Pt3... Echt zo bijzonder dat zulke muziek al in 1976 werd gemaakt, en het eigenlijk nog steeds vernieuwend klinkt! Ja, dit is een heerlijk Ambient album, van een van de grootvaders van de elektronische muziek. God, wat is het toch vet om zulke muziek te (her)ontdekken, in plaats van het 1001ste indierockpostpunk bandje. Dit is zoveel vernieuwender, maar ik snap het wel als mensen dit saai vinden. Ik ben er groot fan van, maar het vereist wel een bepaald enthousiasme voor elektronische muziek, vergelijkbaar met Kraftwerk. Dit album voelde als een trip in de ruimte en eindige op het strand, wát een reis en wat een album. FAVO: Oxygene pt2, Oxygene pt4, Oxygene pt5,

I don't know what else there is to be said about this album, but it is fully deserving of its reputation. I've been listening to it since the 1980s when the cover artwork used to scare me as a child, and it's lost nothing of its enjoyment. Melodic and dense and yet accessible and in some ways simplistic, it defies easy definition in some ways. At times mellow and soothing, at other times eery and haunting. Part 2 is the standout track for me but it works as a cohesive whole. A quibble-free 5/5

One of the albums in my Electronic Hall of Fame, along with "Geogaddi" and "Autobahn". I wonder what it must have been like to be around when the album was released. The whole is one epic song split into 6 parts. Part 1 is my favourite, with Part 4 being 2nd. 2 fantastic albums in a row. 5 stars for "Oxygène".

Electronica has been one of my lowest rated genres in this project so far, largely because it has been dance/clubbing rubbish rather than the real thing. This is the real thing.

En riktig klassiker! Femma!

Incredible in it's genre. It's ambient and atmosperic. I saw another review describing it as futuristic and I think it describes it well. It's a very retro futuristic sound and it could easily be used for a soundtrack for a sci-fi film from the 70s or 80s.

I am sure this is not for everyone but it's certainly for me. I've never really dug too far deep into earlier electronica and ambient but I've been enjoying anything I've been hitting on this list. This somehow feels both very alien and terrestrial at the same time.

Давний фаворит. Доступный, но интересный и приятный.

EXCELLENT ambience. Love the futuristic sound, different tones, and the use of panning in Part 5.

amazing synth record in 1977, still sounds great today "di-di-di-dee-dee"

Heard this as a kid and I'm sure I changed my life even then. If not the father of electronic music, then at least an uncle once removed. Superb stuff!

A true masterpiece. More of a progressive project really, which is why it works so well. Electronic music that never gets bland and repetitive. Great album art as well

Heck yeah this rips. Really cool experience to listen to. Awesome find.

Klassiker! Vad vore Barnens ö utan Jean-Michel Jarre?

I've been looking forward to this since I saw it was on the list, getting a well-deserved 5, love it

This is a really cool early electronic album. Unless I am mistaken, JMJ is the performer of the largest concert in human history. Pretty cool album.

klassikko ja sen takia 5.

YAY WELCOME TO MY BEAUTIFUL PLANÈTE

4 is just superb. The rest are a beautiful accompaniment to the arrival of, and departure of, 4. It gave me goosebumps rediscovering it. I used to have this album. It was a delight, I saw and felt so many things on playing this music, the analogies the digital, the wind, the clicks and the layering. It has aged but not lost its significance to me of loving and delighting in good electronic music. 5 stars.

Bra skit! 9/10

A genius album of its time.

I didn't think I was in the mood and then wouldn't you know it, it created the mood.

It's giving "80s fantasy film with a demented good synth soundtrack that doesn't fit at all", and if you know me you know what a compliment that is. Might make a Jarre playlist for the next time I run a fantasy RPG, for the full Ladyhawke effect.

The Minecraft soundtrack if it were made in the 80s. Amazing.

Already one of my absolute faves.

Spacy and way out there in 1976. What an open and ethereal album! I love it!

Badass ambient jams.

One of the true pioneers of the electronic genre.

haunting and enchanting all at the same time, it's impressive how natural this album all sounded considering it's all synth based, this is a real treat to the ears.

Perfect electronic noise!

WOW. J'avais jamais entendu parler de cet album-là auparavant, malgré la qualité qui se trouve sous le capot. Une sorte de musique électro à la Kraftwerk, couplé d'une prestance symphonique qui varie de la lourdeur dramatique d'un grand orchestre à la légèreté planante d'un smooth solo jazz au piano. Magnifico, si je puis me permettre.

This is so much my jam I feel like it was pulled straight out of my head. My standouts: Part 2, Part 3, Part 5

funky spooky groovy

I absolutely loved this and I had never heard of this guy before. It’s pure synth fantasia, evolving from soundscapes to recognizable popular song structure then devolving back again in to a soundscape and experimental manipulation for the ending. I didn’t want it to end. Some of the “high level” solo tracking sounds the tiniest bit dated, I can’t figure out why but it does, but that doesn’t take away from it. To think this was made in 1976, it’s incredible. This could come out today on a niche label and you wouldn’t even have to label it “retro”. I need the vinyl for this yesterday.

4.5☆/5 11.07.2024

What a treat. It still sounds good today; albeit dated, but in a good way. You really can see how this album influenced much of the electronic music in the 80s and possibly into the 90s.

This was unexpectedly awesome. I feel like I've listened to this before. I listen to a lot of ambient/frequency type music and I'm sure Spotify would've recommended this to me. But this is really perfect for walking the dog around the block, before the sun's up and having coffee.

Love this album, like Scott says it needs a sound system to do it justice. Killer album and remember watching the live show years ago on council telly :)

dang. what a vibe.